WENHAM, Mass. – Sophomore Erin Morton (Norway, Maine) pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds and led the Leopard offense with 18 points in a 64-57 setback at Gordon College on Wednesday evening.
Morton sank the opening shot for the Leopards, a three-pointer for a 3-2 lead, before junior Sam McGibbon (Pembroke, Mass.) connected on her first trey of the night to keep Wentworth out in front 8-7. Both teams traded the lead until Gordon senior Brooke Dyson (Houston, Texas) put the Fighting Scots up 12-11 with a shot from downtown, igniting a 10-1 run to hold a comfortable 22-13 lead after the first quarter.
Wentworth fired back with an 8-2 run in the second quarter, as Morton sunk two at the line to pull within a single possession, 24-21. The Leopards then deadlocked the score twice from a McGibbon trey and again on a Morton free throw (26-26), with five minutes left to play in the first half, but the Gordon defense limited the Leopards to just three points in the stretch, scoring nine of their own to lead 34-29.
Wentworth came firing out of the gates and executed its best offense in the third quarter, shooting 56.3% from the floor, 66.7% from three-point range, and 50% from the line. Sophomore Stephanie Mini (Topsfield, Mass.) led the effort with eight points, while Morton and McGibbon each bucketed six apiece. Mini and Morton each sunk a layup to end the third quarter at 51-50 in favor of the Black and Gold.
The fourth quarter proved to be the deciding factor in the conference matchup, as Gordon outscored Wentworth 14-6 in the final ten minutes. Gordon shot 50% from three-point territory, including 2-for-3 from junior Alisha Henderson (Oregon City, Ore.), while the Leopards converted on just 2-of-18 shots from the floor.
Morton's 18 points and 15 rebounds, alongside four assists and four steals, gives her the second double-double of her sophomore season, while McGibbon booked a season-high 13 points on 4-for-9 shooting from three-point territory. Mini rounded out double figures for Wentworth with 11 points.
The Fighting Scots used a monster double-double of 21 points and 24 rebounds from junior Sarah Gibbs (Elizabethtown, Pa.) to seal the CCC victory, and saw two other players reach double digits on the scoreboard. Sophomore Abby Vampatella (Mansfield Center, Conn.) scored 16 points with nine rebounds, while Dyson netted 14 points.
Wentworth (3-18, 1-11 CCC) is at Endicott on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Wentworth Leopards "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.